New Paltz falls just short in semifinal loss

Sunday

Oct 30, 2011 at 2:00 AM

KINGSTON — Although New Paltz threw a scare into Spackenkill in Saturday's 7-6 loss in the Section 9 Class B semifinal playoff game at Dietz Stadium, the end came too soon for a school that's accustomed to postseason glory.

RICK REMSNYDER

KINGSTON — Although New Paltz threw a scare into Spackenkill in Saturday's 7-6 loss in the Section 9 Class B semifinal playoff game at Dietz Stadium, the end came too soon for a school that's accustomed to postseason glory.

New Paltz (4-5), the defending Class B champion, had reached the championship game three of the last four years. A season-ending three-game losing streak has the Huguenots looking ahead to next year instead of preparing for another game.

"We were young," New Paltz coach Tom Tegeler said. "Our coaching staff knows how to win up here. We played a good game and it was nice for the young kids to experience playoff football. We just have to get better all around next year."

While running backs Khariff LaBoy and Darryl Clark enjoyed big seasons, New Paltz had problems with its passing game all year. Sophomore quarterback Nick DiMarco showed some encouraging signs in the near upset, tossing a 28-yard TD pass to Chad Wells to pull the Huguenots to within 7-6 with 7:27 left in the third quarter. New Paltz went for two, but DiMarco's pass fell incomplete.

New Paltz had another opportunity to pull ahead late in the third quarter, but after the drive stalled Tegeler opted to try a 37-yard field goal rather than go for it on fourth-and-7. The kick by Chris Mazzei was well short.

"I thought it was too long to go for it," Tegeler said. "We're about 2-for-100 kicking extra points, so the field goal was kind of a shot in the dark. But I was hoping maybe he could bang one through."

Clark, a junior who led all runners with 91 yards on 19 carries Saturday, wiped away tears as he tried to explain New Paltz's disappointing campaign.

"We had a lot of injuries, we were a young team and at times we had a lack of communication and dedication," Clark said. "Our whole offensive line is coming back. We were all juniors, so the team is going to be strong next year."

In all likelihood, Spackenkill (8-1) will be without the services of star quarterback K.J. Williams for the Class B title game vs. Marlboro (8-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Dietz Stadium. Williams was carried off the field midway through the third quarter with an apparent knee injury and never returned.

Before he was injured, Williams hit tight end Tom Fink with a perfect 27-yard TD pass on a fade pattern for the Spartans' lone score with 5:58 to go in the first quarter. Blake Pizzola's extra point proved to be the difference.

The Huguenots put together a long drive in the final minutes of the second quarter and had a third-and-goal at the Spackenkill 1, but a costly illegal motion penalty on Wells pushed the ball back to the 6-yard line and New Paltz couldn't score.

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